Spring-wheel and tire.



y G. L. HAYS, SPRING WHEEL AND TIRE. APPLICATION FILED 00T. 8,1910.

A i 4 Patented July 11,1911. p1 @l' COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON.D. c.

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GEOEGE'LINCOLN HAYs, 0E BELLEVUE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPRING-WHEEL AND TIRE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1911.

Application led October 8, 1910. Serial No. 586,043.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE LINCOLN Hays, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bellevue, in the county of` Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSpring-lheels and Tires; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse thesame.

My invention relates to improvements in spring wheels and tires.

The principal ob `ect of the invention is to' provide a wheel iforautomobiles, carriages, wagons, andother vehicles which will have all ofthe advantages of a pneumatic tired wheel in point of resiliency, andyet be free from the. usual objections to such rubber tired wheels andat the same time be much stronger, more durable, and less expensive toconstruct and maintain.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spring or resilientwheel of this character having improved hub and tire members united byresilient spokes so connected and arranged that the wheel will withstandall strains and' loads placed upon it, will be j prevented fromdishing'and at the same time will have suflicient elasticityl or cushionto prevent shocks and jars incident to'travel over rough roads frombeing transferred from the wheel to the body of the vehicle.

lith the above and other objects in view,

the invention consists of certain novel features of construction,combination and arrangement of parts as will be fully described andparticularly pointed out in the append- In the accompanying drawings:--Figure i 14 is a detail side view of a port-ion of a rein section tomore clearly illustrate the con' f shown in Fig. 5 looking in thelyplaneat silient wheel constructed in accordancewith my invention, parts beingbroken away and of the wheel; Figa is a detail section taken on theplane indicated by the line L1 4- in Fig. 3 Fig. 5 is a detailAsectional view showing the connection for the innerA end of one of thespokes; Fig. 6 is a view ofthe parts right angles, parts being brokenaway in section; Fig. 7 is'a detail plan viewof a portion of the treadmember of the whe-el; and Fig. 8 is a sectional perspective view showinga modified form of tread member.

improved wheel comprises a hub member composed of inner and outersections 1 and 2 constructed from stamped or pressed steel. Each ofthese hub sections consists of an inner frusto-conical-shaped portion 3having a radially projecting annular liange l at its inner end, whichflange l carries on its outer face a circular flange 5. Thefrusto-conical-shaped portions 3 of the two hub sections are adapted toreceive a double frusto-conical shaped bushing 6 which is retained inposition in the hub and eectively prevented from shifting longitudinallyby lreason of the shape and arrangement of the parts 3, (see Fig. 2).rThe radial flanges 4 of the two hub sections 1 and 2 abut and aresecurely united by inner and outer annular rows of bolts 7 and 8, oranalogous fastenings, whereby the two-part hub is made solid and rigidand the bushing 6 effectively retained wit-hin it.

The hub is connected by means of innery two tire sections 10 and 11 areVcurved inwardly to form spaced flanges 14, between or upon which may bearranged any suitable tread member. As illustrated more clearly in Figs.3 and 4, I may provide an annular tread member 15 composed of what istermed Friction which is a composition employed in making paper frictionwheels.

4It will be understood, however, that the `tread member may be made ofother material. v Vhen made of friction, I preferably shapeit as shownin Fig. 3 and provide at its side edges' flanges 16 which are ldisposedwithin a channel formedb-y the tiresections ,10- and 11 and which engagethe;y curved flanges 14 to retain the tread member in position. Theouter surface of the tread member 15 is preferably corrugated, as shownat 17, and these corrugations are diagonally arranged, as shown in Fig.7. When the corrugations on the tread are diagonally arranged, thewheels on opposite ends of the axles of the vehicle have thecorrugations in their treads disposed in opposite relation to preventskidding of the vehicle.

Then the tread member 15 is employed, I prefer to fill the hollowportion of the tire with a suitable slightly yieldable material. Thisfiller is indicated at 18 in the drawings and it will be understood thatit may be made of any slightly yieldable or cushioning substance.

Instead of employing the tread member above described, I may unite theianges 14 of the tire sections by a tread member 19, as shown in Fig. 8.This member 19 is formed of a transversely curved strip of steel orother metal bent into annular form and united by rivets o-r otherastenings 20 to the flanges 14. This tread member 19 is preferablyformed with a centrally arranged annular seat in which is shrunk a metalhoop or rod 21, which will tend to prevent skidding of the wheel.

`The spring spokes 9 are constructed of rods of steel or other suitablemetal and they have their intermediate portions bent to form cylindricalcoils 22 of proper size and shape. These coils may be arranged at anypoint throughout the lengths of the spokes although I have shown them inthe drawings as arranged adjacent the outer ends of the same. As abovestated, the spokes 9 are arranged in two annular series and it will benoted on reference to Fig. 2 that the inner series is disposed in aperpendicular or substantially perpendicular plane, while the spokes ofthe outer series are inclined inwardly from the hub toward the tire tobrace the wheel and prevent dishing.

The outer extremities of the spokes 9 are formed with enlarged ilattenedheads 23 which are pivotally connected to clips 24 secured to the innerportions of the tire sections 10 and 11. These clips 24 are formed withoppositely projecting apertured attaching flanges 25 which are united bybolts or similar fastenings 26 to the tire sections, said bolts 26passing through apertures in said sections and having pairs of nuts 27on their threaded ends, whereby they are electively locked in position.Suitable recesses are formed in the liller member 18 for the receptionof the nuts 27, when such iiller member is made of soft wood oranalogous material, (see Fig. 4). The body portions of the clips 24 arebifurcated to form recesses 28 for the reception of the ends or heads 23on the spokes and these recesses and heads are milled so that a snug litwill be effected. A transverse pivot 29 in the form of a bolt passesthrough a pivot opening in each of the heads or ends 23 and throughalining openings in the spaced portions or ears 30 on the clip 24 formedby bifurcating or recessing its body portion, (see Fig. 3). The openingin the outer ear 30 is screw threaded as shown at 31, for the receptionof the pivot bolt 29 so that when the latter is tightened the two ears30 will be drawn tightly together to snugly engage the head 23 betweenthem and thereby prevent looseness and rattling of the parts, but at thesame time allow the spoke to have a slight swinging movement on thepivot bolt 29. Tn this connection it will be noted, that the extremityof the head 23 is curved on an arc concentric with the pivot 29, asclearly shown in Fig. 4, A lock nut 32 is applied to the projectingouter end of the pivot bolt 29 to securely retain the same in positionafter it has been adjusted. The heads 23 may be formed with oilsupplying apertures 33, whereby a lubricant may be fed to the pivot 29.

The connection of the inner ends of the spokes 9 with the hub is verysimilar to the connection of their outer ends and it is clearly shown inFigs. 5 and 6, on reference to which it will be noted that the inner endof each spoke 9 is formed with an enlarged flattened head 34, similar tothe head 23, mounted on a transverse pivot bolt 35 in the enlargedbifurcated head 36 of a clip bolt 37. The threaded ends of the severalclip bolts 37 pass through apertures in the flanges 5 of t-he two headsections 1 and 2 and on said ends are arranged adjusting nuts 38 whichengage the flanges 5 and when tightened against the latter control thetension of the spokes 9. These nuts 38 are adjusted when the wheel isassembled in order to put the proper tension on the spokes and centerthe hub with respect to the tire. After the nuts 38 have been adj ustednuts 39 are screwed against them and eXtra lock nuts 40 on the bolts 37are screwed against the outer faces of the flanges 5 to securely fastenthe clip nuts in adjusted position so that they cannot possibly workloose.

I regard it of great importance to have the ends of the spokes formedwith enlarged flattened heads and fitting in milled recesses in thebifurcated clips 24 and 36, so that the spokes will have a slightswinging movement and at the same time be prevented from having lateralmovement which would tend to weaken the wheel and cause rattling. Byconstructing these pivotal connections or joints as above described, theparts will have necessary movement, but at the same time be firmlyconnected to give the wheel the necessary strength and to prevent noiseand undue wear.

For the purpose of protecting the spring spokes from dust, rain, etc.,and also to give the wheel a more attractive appearance, I may cover thespokes with tubular casing members 4l and 42, the opposing ends of whichtelescopically engage each other, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 and theopposite ends of which bear against the tire and hub of the wheel.'Ihese casing members or tubes entirely envelop the spring spokes andtheir connections and in order to yieldably maintain them in contactwith the tire and hub wit-hout restricting the resiliency of the spokes,I provide wit-hin the telescoping ends of said tubes or members stops 43between which is arranged a coiled spring 44, the latter 'surroundingthe spoke, as clearly shown in Figs. l and 2.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that in a wheelconstructed as illustrated, the weight of the vehicle or load will besuspended from the upper spring spokes and, consequently, all shocks andj ars which the tire receives in traveling over rough roads will beabsorbed by the spring spokes and not imparted to the body of thevehicle and, consequently, the wheel will have the cushioning actionwhich is necessary for comfortable riding in an. automobile or othervehicle and this result will be obtained without the use of pneumatictires on the wheels. The peculiar construction of the parts renders myimproved spring wheel and tire strong and durable and also comparativelyinexpensive to manufact-ure.

While I have shown and described in detail the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, I wish it understood that changes in the form, proportion,size, shape, and arrangement of parts and in the details of constructionmay be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.

I claim n 1. A wheel of the character set forth comprising a hubcomposed of united stamped metal sections haviing circular flanges, atire composed of united stamped metal sections and carrying a treadmember, clips on the flanges of the hub sections and on thetiresections, resilient spokes having coiled portions and flattenedheads at their eX- tremities to fit in said clips, pivots uniting theheads of the spokes to said clips, telescoping tubular casing membersarranged on t-he spokes and bearing against the tire and hub tocompletely envelop the spoke and its connections, stops within thetelescoped ends of the casing members, and coiled springs on the spokesand engaged with said stops. Y v

2. A wheel of the character set forth comprising a hub, a tire,resilient spokes each having a coiled port-ion, pivotal connectionsbetween the ends of the spokes and the hub and tire, tubular casingsections arranged on the spokes and having their opposing endstelescoped and their opposite ends bearing against the hub and tire,stops within the telescoped ends of the casing members and coiledsprings arranged on the spokes between said stops to force the casingmembers apart and maintain them in engagement with the hub and tire.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses. Y

GEORGE LINCOLN HAYS.

Witnesses:

C. H. GRmsBAUER, L. O. HILTON.

Copies of `this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissionerof Patents,

Washington, D. C.

